In article >, Steve Wertz
> wrote:

> On Fri, 24 Aug 2007 22:13:43 +0300, Opinicus wrote:

> > Optional service charge? What are the options?
>
> "Optional Service Charge" and "Discretionary Service Charge" are
> becoming fairly common in England and some other parts of Europe.
> It's my understanding that you either pay it or not. It's
> usually added to your bill unless you specifically opt out of it.
> The menu must state this.
>
> For some reason 12.5% is standard. My guess is that's its a law
> of some sort, and 12.5 is the max.
>
> Looks like those Brits will be Americanized sooner or later ;-)
>
> [Crossposted to rec.food.restaurants]
>
> -sw

This is pretty well right, but I don't think that 'it's a law of some
sort.'. It's simply accepted practice that the work of paying the tip
is taken away. If you don't like the service, you cancel the service
charge. I've done this reasonably often.

12.5% is an average. Sometimes it might be 15, sometimes ten.

Service is a complicated thing in Europe. I've just come from England
(where it's normal, round 10-15% in posh restaurants, but non-existent
in bars) from Italy, where it doesn't really obtain, from Croatia,
where I wasn't in a position to know.

I've never been anywhere else with the very high, virtually compulsory
tips expected in the USA.

Lazarus